History of Ushagram Lokoshikshaniketan
Ushagram Lokoshikshaniketan is part of Ushagram Trust works in fourteen villages of Nadia District. Its community development programmes include education, community health, rehabilitation projects, awareness generation, microfinance, sustainable farming and income generation for rural women & youth. The women’s society- ‘Lokoshikshaniketan’ has association with Sasha for over fifteen years now where Sasha assists in capacity building, skill up gradation, know-how, product development and marketing. About 40 women and artisans are directly benefited from this initiative in Batik, Jute, Handloom and Food Processing.
Creating RASA products
Apart from scaling up the Natural dyeing, Batik and embroidery units, the RASA skin and body care unit is located within Ushagram and the spice unit of Ushagram Lokoshikshaniketan is the backward linkage to RASA-Ruro-Agro Services Association whose range of products includes gourmet spices, Bengali spices and preserves. The unit produces pure and blended spices that are marketed packaged and marketed by RASA. Sasha has assisted to set up the spice and body care units have constantly been part of its growth and up scaling.
Developing the local community
Lokoshikshaniketan imparts education, vocational and traditional skills, and awareness- mainly for rural women. Here the women are trained of food processing and spice making; Batik printing; block printing, screen painting, tailoring, embroidery, weaving; jute products, bee keeping and honey-collection etc. Men are also trained in mushroom cultivation; repairing machines, carpentry, dairying etc. They have also facilitated formation of Self Help groups and linking them to banks through Micro-credit. A small outlet within the premises sells the produce of Lokoshikshaniketan. They sell through other wholesalers in the local market and exhibitions.
As a Fair Trade enterprise, Sasha has been facilitating its producer partners towards adopting sustainable and environmentally benign production practices and processes. One of the successful efforts has been the successful development of naturally dyed products and installation of affordable and customized textile waste water treatment solutions with Sarba Shanti Ayog, its development partner organization; with the aim to reduce the environmental impact of dyes. Additionally, rain water harvesting, efficient water management, use of fuels and ergonomic improvement with the aim of improving productivity and occupational health. Sasha facilitates in implementation of health and safety aspects in the units in additional to social and business compliances. Ushagram Lokoshikshaniketan and Sasha are working in partnership to inculcate a level of self confidence among the youth and women, so that they could take charge of their lives and be productive, responsible members of their families and communities.